Ambulance staff can attend Pride weeks after ban at neighbouring parade

Staff at West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) have been told they can participate in Coventry Pride weeks after bosses pulled out of Birmingham's annual parade.

An internal email, seen by the BBC, states "the trust will be back celebrating the diverse nature of our society and our workforce" following a review of Coventry's event this weekend.

The service's director of people Carla Beechey told staff they were looking at events on a "case-by-case" basis after withdrawing from Birmingham Pride last month.

WMAS previously said it had received legal advice that participating as a public body could breach "political impartiality" and create a "reasonable perception" the service actively supports specific views, which would be "contrary to the protected beliefs" of other people.

The ban on staff attending Birmingham's event came after Pride organisers in the city banned some political parties from attending last year, following a Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman was based on biological sex.

A member of staff told the BBC the announcement of support for Coventry Pride had been welcomed but left some workers "confused" and with "questions about the consistency of the trust's approach to inclusion and support for LGBTQ+ staff".

"The damage caused by the original decision should not be underestimated."

A spokesperson said the review of this weekend's event had concluded it was a "celebration of all that is good about the many and diverse communities in our region, which we fully support".

"We look forward to seeing staff taking part in their uniform, should they wish to," they added.

"We remain fully committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels safe, respected, valued and able to always be themselves and we hope staff will see that through the decision to take part in Coventry Pride."

Coventry Pride describes itself as being "rooted in activism and community" and more than just a festival, aiming to be "a year-round movement that creates safe, vibrant spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can connect, express themselves freely, and be proud of who they are".

The WMAS worker that contacted the BBC said it was positive "LGBTQ+ staff will once again have visible backing from our employer".

"[However] it's difficult to understand why one Pride event is considered incompatible with the trust's position while another is not," they added.

A staff member previously said the announcement in May had left colleagues feeling "isolated, unsupported and increasingly uncertain about where the organisation now draws the line on equality and inclusion".

But a WMAS spokesperson said that while the service acknowledged the Pride organisers' mission statement, as a public body it must follow the law while upholding its duty to promote fairness and prevent discrimination.

"As a public sector organisation, we need to ensure that we discharge the public sector equality duty and comply with the principles of public law," they said.

WMAS took its decision after the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) recently stated a High Court ruling, external restricting uniformed police officers from attending Pride events "does not apply to ambulance services".

Coventry Pride 2026 takes place across the city on Saturday and Sunday.

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